In the fastest-growing big city in the country, where developers never
met a neon sign they didn't like, the Campaige Place housing development is a breath of
fresh air. The 320-room development was built in a decrepit part of downtown Las Vegas
known more for its crime rate than for its safe, affordable housing opportunities.

But Campaige Place is turning this around. The apartments are located in a stylish,
secure and well-designed building and monthly rents are very affordable. The project is
conveniently located near jobs and shops and will allow those who work downtown to
dispense with driving. In a city like Las Vegas, which consists mainly of hotels and
casinos, providing affordable housing near the core is crucial.

City officials and developers hope that projects like Campaige Place will spark more
development in the area, thus adding to efforts to revitalize a part of Las Vegas
desperately in need of help.

Anthem
Development Project (Henderson) Del Webb Strikes Again

Being the fastest-growing city in America is quite a distinction --
especially when the city is essentially a suburb of another city. Henderson, a suburb of
Las Vegas, is quickly becoming a highly popular destination for retirees, and has just
bypassed Reno as the second largest city in Nevada. Its population has exploded in the
last decade, jumping from 69,000 in 1990 to 200,000 by the end of 2000.

In an area that used to be mainly open space and Bureau of Land Management property,
development has occurred at a feverish pace and with little planning. Developers are
snatching up land and building subdivisions with names like McDonald Ranch, the Vineyards
and Palermo. Smack dab in the middle of all this sprawl is Anthem by Del Webb -- a
development firm that seems to specialize in sprawling projects.

Del Webb's latest is a 5,000-acre development with 12,000 homes and 30,000 residents.
The project is being built on what is now Henderson's southwest border, but given the pace
of development and lack of planning, it is unclear where Henderson's borders will be in
two or three years.

What is clear is that developments like Anthem are eating up precious natural
resources. Major irrigation is needed to sustain the faux desert oasis the project will
create. In fact, Del Webb will have to build five new reservoirs to meet the needs of the
community and its lush surroundings. It will also add more cars to crowded roads and more
smog to dirty skies.